Question NW2456 to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

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05 November 2020 - NW2456

Profile picture: Winkler, Ms HS

Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

(1) With reference to her reply to question 1995, on 11 September 2020, in relation to the setting of the trophy hunting quota of eleven leopards for 2020, what is (a) the total number of wild leopards in the Republic and (b) their distribution in each province; (2) what (a) is the total number of male Leopards in the age range of seven years and above and (b) is the distribution of male leopards in each province; and (3) (a) chat are the scientific reasons and/or scientific evidence for the decision to set the 2020 national trophy hunting quota at eleven leopards, (b)(i) how and (ii) on what basis is the 2020 quota of eleven leopards allocated per province, (c) what (i) is the 2020 leopard hunting quota for each province and (ii) are the scientific reasons and/or scientific evidence for the specific provinces to be allocated with a leopard hunting quota?

Reply:

(1)(a)(b), (2)(a)(b) and (3)(a)

Subsequent to the publication of the non-detriment finding for leopard in 2015, the Department, in liaison with the Scientific Authority, adopted an adaptive approach to determine the annual leopard hunting quota. Population trend data generated through the South African Leopard
Monitoring Project is used to inform decision making on the annual leopard hunting quota. South Africa ensures that leopard hunting is consistent with the sustainable use principles and that it does not have a detrimental impact on the survival of the leopard in the wild. Hunting of leopards in South Africa is therefore managed through:

Restrictions to designated hunting zones where trends in leopard density indicate that populations are stable or increasing, and

Limits to males older than 7 years, which is likely to have a minimal impact on population trends. This is used as an additional precautionary safeguard.

It is again emphasised that only hunting zones where leopard populations are stable and increasing have been designated as eligible for hunting of leopard. Trends in leopard populations were determined by multi state models fitted to leopard density data that wee collected through the Leopard Monitoring Project at 17 monitoring sites between 2013 and 2019. Data from these sites were used to designate hunting zones. As a precautionary measure, only one leopard can be hunted per eligible hunting zone.

(b)(i)(ii)

The 2020 quote of eleven leopards is a country wide quota and not a quota per province. In other words, the total number of leopards that may be hunted in South Africa in 2020 is eleven (11) and not ninety-nine (99) as inferred by be question. The basis for the allocation of the quota is provided in question 3(a) above.

The table below indicates the allocation of the 2020 leopard hunting quota for each province:

Province

Allocated quota

Eastern Cape Province

0

Free State Province

O

Gauteng Province

0

KwaZulu-Natal Province

0

Limpopo Province

nine (9) male leopards of seven years or older

Mpumalanga Province

O

North West Province

No (2) male leopards of seven years or older

Northern Cape Province

0

Western Cape Province

0

(c)(ii)

The basis for the allocation of the quota is provided in question 1-3 above.

Regards

MS B D CREECY, MP

MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

DATE: 6/11/2020